Northern Liberties Gas Company.

Hide Profile

The Northern Liberties Gas Company was organized in 1838 and incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania on April 13, 1844. The company provided gas service to the Northern Liberties district and Kensington, forming a broad strip of land between the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers above what was then the northern boundary of the City of Philadelphia (Vine Street). The entire area was annexed by the city in 1854, but the company remained distinct from the municipally owned Philadelphia Gas Works.

In its early years, the company manufactured gas from coal, most of which was imported from Great Britain. One of its first engineers, Joseph Battin, was the inventor of the coal breaker. By the mid-1850s the completion of the Pennsylvania Railroad permitted the company to use gas coal brought by rail from Westmoreland County in western Pennsylvania.

On July 2, 1900, the property of the Northern Liberties Gas Company was leased by the United Gas Improvement Company, a large, Philadelphia-based gas utility holding company, which also held a lease of the Philadelphia Gas Works and most of the other gas companies in the Philadelphia area. UGI rationalized the operation of the many small companies under its control. The Northern Liberties Gas Company's gas plant was demolished in 1937, leaving only the distribution system. Upon the breakup of the United Gas Improvement Company as a holding company, the property of the Northern Liberties Gas Company was sold to the Philadelphia Gas Works on November 30, 1955. It was liquidated in 1956.

From the description of Records, 1686-1958 (bulk 1838-1956). (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 86123663

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Northern Liberties Gas Company. Records, 1686-1958 (bulk 1838-1956). Hagley Museum & Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Gas Association. corporateBody
associatedWith American Gas Light Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Battin, Joseph, 1806?-1893. person
associatedWith Budd, Henry, 1849-1921. person
associatedWith Chester Gas Company (Pa.). corporateBody
associatedWith Glace Bay Mining Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Goodwin Gas Stove and Meter Company (Philadelphia, Pa.). corporateBody
associatedWith Horn, Philip H. person
associatedWith Integrity Trust Company (Philadelphia, Pa.). corporateBody
associatedWith J.H. Gautier & Company. corporateBody
associatedWith J.S. Morgan & Co. corporateBody
associatedWith Morris, Tasker & Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Penn Gas Coal Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Pennsylvania Globe Gas Light Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Pennsylvania Railroad Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Philadelphia Gas Works. corporateBody
associatedWith Philadelphia (Pa.). Dept. of Public Works. corporateBody
associatedWith Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Co. corporateBody
associatedWith R.D. Wood & Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Shield, Fenwick & Company (Newcastle upon Tyne, England). corporateBody
associatedWith United Gas Improvement Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Virginia Coal and Iron Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Westmoreland Coal Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Wilmington Coal Gas Company (Del.). corporateBody
associatedWith Wilmington Savings Fund Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Youghiogheny Gas Coal Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Youghiogheny River Coal Company. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Philadelphia (Pa.)
United States
Pennsylvania
Great Britain
West Virginia
Subject
Coal
Coal
Coal
Coal-tar
Coal trade
Gas companies
Gas distribution
Gasholders
Gas industry
Gas-lighting
Gas manufacture and works
Gas-meters
Gas-pipes
Gas street lamps
Municipal lighting
Panic of 1857
Public utilities
Public utility holding companies
Street lighting
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1686

Active 1958

Related Descriptions
Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w60k73rf

Ark ID: w60k73rf

SNAC ID: 18199700